Uganda begins Ebola vaccinations amid Congo transmission fears

FILE PHOTO: A Congolese health worker administers Ebola vaccine to a woman who had contact with an Ebola sufferer in the village of Mangina in North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, August 18, 2018. REUTERS/Olivia Acland/File Photo

In Summary

The East African country has suffered regular outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg over the years, both high-fatality viral haemorrhagic fevers.

Tens of thousands cross the border in both directions weekly for trade and family visits and other purposes, Aceng said.

Uganda’s worst Ebola outbreak was in 2000 when 425 people were infected, more than half of whom died.

Uganda says it will start to vaccinate some of its health workers against Ebola amid fears that the viral hemorrhagic fever could spread from Democratic Republic of Congo which is battling an outbreak.

The East African country has suffered regular outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg over the years, both high-fatality viral hemorrhagic fevers.

Parts of Uganda’s western border are about 100 km (62 miles)from sites of an Ebola outbreak taking place in Congo.

Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said authorities would administer about 2,100 vaccinations covering so called frontline health personnel working in districts near the border.

Tens of thousands cross the border in both directions weekly for trade and family visits and other purposes, Aceng said.

Because of this the “risk of cross border transmission was assessed to be very high … hence the need to protect our health workers with this vaccine,” she told a news conference.